Fuel conditioner for internal-combustion engines



Jan. -8 1924. 1,479,803

F. C. GOFF FUEL CONDITIONER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 10 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l J6 5a fi a! 94 "gm 38 26 -36 'LA'7Z m ./Z /Z ,2 I 1| $5 I l T v 6'7 65 1 I 66 74 70 L I l 69 Qwuentoz -3 RAN/r 6-'60Ff'.

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1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwventoz Jan. 8 1924- F. C. GOFF FUEL CONDITIONER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 10

Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. GOFF, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FUEL CONDITIONER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed January 10, 1921. Serial No. 436,330.

To all whOm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. Gorr, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel Conditioners for Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use'the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for properly and automatically 'humidifying an explosive mixture passing from a carburetor to an internal combustion engine, and for heating said mixture during said assage.

Briefly, the invention comprises a water supply preferably contained within a casing through which exhaust gases from the 25 engine pass, the water being automatically fed from said container by impulses transmitted upon the surface of the water by the exhaust. The water thus automatically fed from the container is passed through a coil heated by the exhaust, and thence forward to another chamber heated by the exhaust, where the tube carrying it is coiled and the water is completely vaporized. At this point, the vapor is discharged into the stream of explosive mixture passed from the carburetor to the engine, a plurality of exhaust heated pipes being disposed in the ath of the mixture for heating the latter. referably, thermostatic means is provided engine is cold or when its temperature falls below a given point, this means being adapted to open when the temperature rises above a given point. Preferably, a valve is also provided adapted to be opened by the suction of the engine to admit the vapor to the explosive mixture when the temperaturecontrolled valve is opened.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention, portions being broken away to show .the internal construction;

to shut off the flow of water vapor when the Fig. 2 is chieflya vertical section through the invention at right angles to the View of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail of a slightly modified form of water container and heater;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the suction-operated .valve; I

Fig. 5 1s an elevation of one of theex:

conduits. l5 and 16 passing through the casing 10. The container 12 may be filled by removing a cap 18 from the top of the gauge. Impulses of the exhaust are admitted to the water container 12 by means of openings 20 in the walls of the container above the water level. The water thus expelled by said impulses leaves the container by way of a short conduit 22 projecting through the casing 10 and connected with a vertically-extending conduit 24 whose upper end returns to the upper portion of said casing and formed into a coil 26.. The valve 28 is provided at the junction of the conduits 22 and 24, the valve casing having a needle valve 3!) threaded into it for controlling the passage of water, a ball check valve being provided at 32 to prevent return. of the water.

As the water is forced out of the upper end of the conduit 24, it flows into the coil 26 and is vaporized by the exhaust gases which enter the casing 10 through the connection 3'4, and leave it by way of the connection 35. The steam so formed leaves the coil 26 by way of conduit 36 and passes into a suction-controlled valve 38, having a small receiving chamber 40 provided at one side with a small opening 41, and at the other side with a diaphragm 42 to which a stem 43 is fixed, which carri t its inner end :1

valve piece 44 adapted to close the opening 41. The stem 43 projects through the cap 46 and is provided on its outer end with a manipulating knob 45. .The suction of the engine operates upon the diaphragm'42 to open the valve part 44 and permit passage of the vapor through the opening 41 into a chamber 47 from which it passes into conduit 48, which is formed into a coil 49 'disposed about a drum 50 mounted in a casing 51 and connected with the side walls of said casing 51 by means of narrow horizontallydisposed webs 52 which prevent passage of the exhaust gases from one end of the casing 51 to the other between the drum 50 and the walls of the casing. The exhaust gases which are received in the upper end of said casing 51 pass through tubes 53 which are disposed in the form of a lattice work in the drum and extend from the upper-side of said drum to the lower side, whereby said gases are conducted into the.

lower portion of said casing 51 and thence by way of connection 34 to casing 10.

An elongated. U-shaped clip or sleeve 54 is preferably mounted upon each tube 53, the open side of the U being directed toward the carburetor, so as to provide a sort of channel on the carburetor side of each tube 53. The coil 49 terminates in a nozzle 55 at the carburetor end of the drum 50, which.

drum serves as a passage for the fuel mix-.

ture and the vapor discharged thereinto' from the carburetor C to the motor M. The vapor thus received in the coil 49 from the coil 26 is thoroughly vaporized under ordinary conditions and is introduced into the explosive mixture before it passes through the latticework of tubes 53. This passage through the tubes 53 will further assist in the vaporization of liquid which may have passed the nozzle 55, and any small portion which may then escape complete vaporization will be caught upon the forward sides of the tubes 53 and conducted down to the bottom of the drum 50 by the channels formed by the clips 54 on said tubes 53. Any water which may thus reach the bottom of the drum will have ample opportunity to vaporize without being passed to the motor in liquid form. In case it should be necessary to mount the device so that the drum 50 is vertically disposed, flanges 56 are provided at each end thereof within which small pockets are formed which would receive any liquid caught by the clips 54. Each end of the drum 50 is provided with a head 57 flanged, as indicated, and adapted to be secured to the motor block M by means of bolts 58 which also pass through the flange 59 on the carburetor C. Theupper end of the casing 51 carries an exhaust gasintake 60 controlled by a butter-fly valve 61, this intake being in the form of a by-pass from the main exhaust conduit of the engine. In this manner the :a butter-fly valve 72 in the steam conduit 36. The pin 68 also operates a lever 74 pivoted on the casing 65 at 75, the other end of said lever 74 operating a vertically-movable device 76 working in a guide 77 and adapted to close shutters 78 at the lower end of the connection 35 to prevent the passage of exhaust gases.

In Fig. 3 the slightly modified form of' water container and steam coil is shown, which may be substituted for the casing 10, the container 12 and coil 26. In this form, the water :container 112 receives impulses of the exhaust from an exhaust conduit 84 by way of the connecting tube 85 leading to the top of the container 112. The water tube- 124 extends upward from the valve 28 to a point above the water level, and thence downward to a coil 126 disposed in an exhaust receiving chamber 82-, whereby the coil 126 is heated. Coil 126 terminates in a conduit 136 adapted to be connected to the'valve 38 of Figs. 2 and 4, whence the in the other form.

Inv the operation of the device, the valve 72 remains closedand prevents movement of water and steam until the engine warms up sufilciently to permit. the wafter 67 to expand and thereby moving the rod 3 71 which opens the butter-fly valve 72. After this happens, the impulses of the exhaust will force small quantities of water past the needle valve 30 into the conduit 24, the ball check 32 preventing return of the water. As the water flows from the upper end'of the conduit 24 into the coil 26, the heat of the exhaust produces steam, which is drawn by the suction of the en ine through the valve 38, as above descri ed, into the vaporizing coil 49 from which it is discharged through the nozzle 55 into the explosive mixture passing through the drum 50 from the carburetor to the engine. The explosive mixture which is now laden with the water vapor in the nozzle 55', passes through the lattice work-of tubes 53 and.

which have escaped vaporization are caught and deflected to the bottom of the drum drum '50 by means of the tubes 53, the explosive mixture from the carburetor and the vapor from nozzle 55 are mingled and raised to the same uniform temperature be fore entering the engine. Also, the eliminators 54 will intercept any particles of liquid or raw fuel as well as water, these particles passing to the hot bottom of the drum where they vaporize.

I claim:

1. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising a water supply, a vaporizer, and means-adapted to be controlled by the pressure of the exhaust gases of the engine for feeding water to the vapormen 2. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising an exhaust conduit,

a water container the-rein, said container having communication with said exhaust conduit, whereby the variations in the pressure of the exhaust gases are transmitted to the water body, and a valve-controlled outlet to permit'escape of water under influence of said impulses.

3. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising an exhaust conduit, a water container therein, said container having communication with said exhaust condult, whereby the variations in the pres sure of the exhaust gases are transmitted to the water-body, a valve-controlled outlet to permit escape of water under influence of said impulses, means with which said outlet isconnected for vaporizing the,water,'and means for-feeding the vapor to an engine.

4. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising an exhaust conduit, a water container having communication with saidconduit, whereby the variations in the pressure of the exhaust gases of the engine are transmitted to the water in the container, a valve-controlled outlet to permit escape of water under influence of'said pressure variations, means with which said outlet is connected for vaporizing the-water, and means for feeding the vapor to an engine.

' 5. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising a water supply, means controlled by the pressure of the exhaust gases for feeding water from saidsupply to a vaporizer, and a valve adapted to be operated by the suction of the engine to control the flow of vapor to the engine.

6. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising a water supply, means controlled by the pressure of the exhaust gases for feeding water from said supply in measured quantities, a vaporizer, a valve adapted to be operated by the suction of the engine to control the flow of vapor to the engine, an additional valve for controlling the flow of water and vapor, and a thermostat operable under influence of the temperature of the exhaust gases, said thermostat being connected with the last named valve, whereby the position of the last named valve is governed by the position of the thermostat.' i

7. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines, a water supply, means controlled by the variations in the pressure of the exhaustgases to feed water from said supply, a heating coil to receive said water, a vaporizing coil,.a suction-operated valve between said coils, and a nozzle for introducing the vapor from the second coil to the engine. I v I 8. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines, comprising a water container, an exhaust conduit having communication with said container whereby the'variations in the pressure of the exhaust gases of the engine are transmitted to the water body within the container to discharge the water therefrom, a valve-controlled outlet from said container whereby the amount of the said quantities may be varied when desired, vaporizing means, and a nozzle leading from the vaporizer for introducing the vapor to the engine.

9. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines, comprising a water container, an exhaust conduit having communication with said container whereby the variations in the pressure of the exhaust gases of the engine are transmitted to the water body Within the container to discharge the water therefrom, a valve-controlled outlet from said container whereby the amount of the said'quantities may be varied when desired, vaporizing means, a nozzle leading from the vaporizer for introducing the vapor to the engine, and a valve operable by the suction of the engine to control the admission of the vapor to the engine.

10. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising an exhaust conduit, a drum extending through said conduit and having a fuel passage there- 'through, obstructions heated by 'the exhaust and positioned in said passage, means for connecting a carburetor to one end of said drum, means at the other end of the drum for connecting to an engine block, means leading into the carburetor side of said passage for introducing water vapor, said duit and having a fuel passage therethrough, obstructions heated by the exhaust and positioned in said passage, means for connecting a carburetor to one end of said drum, means at the other end of the drum for connecting to an engine block, and means leading into the carburetor side of said passage for introducing water vapor, said vapor introducing means comprising a heating coil disposed also in said exhaust, and means controlled by the variations in the pressure of the engine exhaust for in-\ troducing water into said coil. I

12. A fuel conditioner for internal com-L bustion engines comprising a heating memher through which an explosive mixture carrying entrained liquid particles is adapted to pass to an engine, eliminating means in said member located in the path of the mixture and adapted to intercept particles of liquid and conduct them out .of the path of the mixture, and vaporizing means to which the liquid particles are conducted from said eliminating means. 7

13. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising aheating member through which an explosive mixture carrying entrained liquid particles is adapted to pass to an engine, and eliminating means in said member located in'the path of the mixture and adapted" to intercept particles of liquid and conduct them out of the path of the mixture, said eliminating means ,comprising tubular members having channels on their faces toward the intake side of the heater down which the liquid is adapted to move. a

14. A fuel conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising a heating member through which an explosive mixture carrying entrained liquid particles is adapted topass to an engine, and eliminating means in said member located in the path of the mixture and adapted to intercept particles of liquid and conduct them out of the path of the mixture, said eliminating means comprising tubular members having channels on their faces toward the intake side of the heater down which the liquid is adapted to move, said eliminators being adapted to be heated.

15. A fuel; conditioner for internal combustion engines comprising an exhaust conduit, adapted to be connected to an exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine a drum extending transversely through said conduit and adapted to have a carburete'r attached to one end and to be attached to an engine block at the other end, a'plurality of tubes extending transversely through'said drum, a water container in said conduit, a thermostatiin said conduit, vsaid contalner having an opening communicating with said conduit whereby the variations in pressure of the exhaust gases are transmitted to the interior of said container, a pipe leading from the lower end of the container, a heater coil in -said pipe, about said container, a vaporizing coil about the drum a suction operated valve between said coils and a valve in said pipe operated by said thermostat.-

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK C. GOFF. 

